Irish police chief denounces oil refinery blockade

DUBLIN

Illegal activity by fuel protesters is "endangering the state", Irish police chief Justin Kelly said on April 11, as public order units were deployed to clear people blockading an oil refinery.

Garda Commissioner Kelly told reporters the blockading of "critical national infrastructure such as fuel depots and refineries" had "resulted in fuel shortages that are directly impacting on emergency services such as hospitals, the ambulance service, and the fire service."

The protests began on April 7 over spiralling petrol and diesel prices amid the Middle East war.

Protesters partly blockaded Ireland's only oil refinery and restricted access to at least two other fuel depots.

Demonstrators, many organizing online outside of formal representative bodies, also used convoys on motorways to snarl traffic and tractors to gridlock central Dublin on occasions.

Industry group Fuels for Ireland said that 100 petrol retailers had run dry, mainly in the west of Ireland, after customers started panic buying.

Kelly said law enforcers, supported by armed forces personnel, moved on April 11 to "restore fuel supplies from Whitegate Refinery", using pepper spray and making a number of arrests.

In March, Dublin announced a 250 million-euro package to reduce fuel costs, notably including a diesel rebate for road hauliers.

Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan said the continuation of the protests despite the increasingly difficult had been "unacceptable."

"While we all acknowledge the impact of higher fuel prices, and seek to minimise that impact, no groups are entitled in our republic to hold our people to ransom in such a manner," he said.